NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday stressed the urgent need to build a drone production ecosystem in the country to ensure strategic autonomy, enhance defence preparedness and make the nation self-reliant in the field in view of present geopolitical uncertainties.“India must work in a mission mode to emerge as a global hub of indigenous drone manufacturing in the next few years,” Rajnath said during the inaugural session of the National Defence Industries Conclave here.He said the ongoing conflicts, ranging from the Russia-Ukraine was to the tensions between Iran and Israel, are proof that drones and counter-drone technologies are destined to play a pivotal role in future warfare, and ‘atmanirbharta’ in drone manufacturing is essential not merely at the product level, but at the component level as well.Israel Iran WarUS-Israel-Iran War News Live Updates: US pounds Iranian missile sites near key Strait of Hormuz; Iran rains down cluster bombs on Tel AvivUAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain announces official start date of Eid Al Fitr 2026‘Trust completely shattered’: Saudi Arabia warns Iran of military retaliation after wave of Gulf attacks“From drone moulds to its software, engines and batteries, everything must be manufactured in India. This is no easy task. In most countries where drones are manufactured, a significant number of critical components are currently imported from China,” he said.Rajnath said that while the creation of any nation’s defence industrial ecosystem relies on contributions of large industries, MSMEs, startups and innovators, it is equally driven by a clear policy push from the govt, tailored to meet the country’s specific defence requirements. While he called for active contribution from the private sector, he extended the govt’s full support to transform India into a global hub for indigenous drone manufacturing.The minister described iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) and ADITI (Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX) as game-changer initiatives, through which start-ups, innovators, and MSMEs are provided with the opportunity to develop novel solutions to meet the specific requirements of the defence forces.He said that “as of Feb 2026, 676 startups, MSMEs and individual innovators have joined the defence innovation ecosystem since inception of iDEX in 2018. In total, 548 contracts have been signed; and 566 challenges launched”. Of these, 58 prototypes have received clearance for procurement, valued around Rs 3,853 crore, he said.“Further, 45 procurement contracts have already been signed, worth nearly Rs 2,326 crore. These figures demonstrate that innovation is gradually materialising into tangible products and technologies, and the role played by our startups and MSMEs in this transformation is steadily gaining strength,” Rajnath said.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’Urgent Need For De-Escalation’: PM Modi Speaks To French President Macron On West Asia ConflictMEA Receives Consular Access Request After Arrest Of Six Ukrainians By NIA’Condemnable’: PM Modi Dials Jordan’s King, Slams Attacks On Energy Infra In West Asia’Including Russia’: MEA’s Key Message On India’s LPG, Crude Oil Sourcing Amid Global Energy Crisis’Clandestine Nuclear Nonproliferation’: India Reacts To US Intel Chief’s Remarks On Pakistan’Concerning, But No Shortage’: Centre On LPG Situation, Warns Against Hoarding & Black MarketingSC Flags “Very Unusual” Situation, Seeks Remedy Over Mamata ‘Obstructing’ ED ChargeWar, Oil & Economy: Big Risks Ahead for India Explained’India Doing The Right Thing’: Congress Backs Modi Govt On Iran War, Tewari Says ‘Not Our War’Karti Chidambaram on TN Polls: ‘Stalin Way Ahead, Vijay’s Star Power Not Enough, BJP Has No Ground’123PhotostoriesEid 2026: How to make classic Hyderabadi Haleem at home for the celebrationWhat do atronauts eat? 8 categories of space food designed to keep them healthyThe ‘wall up’ test: A simple daily check to detect hidden back pain, posture issues, and protect your spine healthEid AI photo editing prompts: Google Gemini AI prompts for Eid-ul-Fitr 2026 celebrations on Instagram, WhatsApp status, and FacebookRedditor skips dinner on first meeting after woman arrives an hour late: 5 etiquettes to follow when on a date6 animals that survive without drinking water and how they do it5 dreamy places in India that resemble European destinationsFrom having no contact with ex-CEO of Astronomer Andy Byron to struggling for a job: 5 big revelations by Kristin Cabot- the Coldplay Kiss Cam scandal womanYour heart after 30: Hidden changes that raise disease risk, and simple lifestyle fixes to protect it early9 must-try Rice desserts from different corners of the world123Hot PicksChina oil tankersMPsfarewellIran war newsGold rate todayIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays March 2026Bank Holidays MarchTop TrendingFortnite chapter 7eid al fitr 2026Green Card HoldersPeter ThielQatar missile fireNSA Doval US envoy talksDeve GowdaRajya Sabha MP farewellChina oil tankersCM Devendra Fadnavis
NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday stressed the urgent need to build a drone production ecosystem in the country to ensure strategic autonomy, enhance defence preparedness and make the nation self-reliant in the field in view of present geopolitical uncertainties.“India must work in a mission mode to emerge as a global hub of indigenous drone manufacturing in the next few years,” Rajnath said during the inaugural session of the National Defence Industries Conclave here.He said the ongoing conflicts, ranging from the Russia-Ukraine was to the tensions between Iran and Israel, are proof that drones and counter-drone technologies are destined to play a pivotal role in future warfare, and ‘atmanirbharta’ in drone manufacturing is essential not merely at the product level, but at the component level as well.“From drone moulds to its software, engines and batteries, everything must be manufactured in India. This is no easy task. In most countries where drones are manufactured, a significant number of critical components are currently imported from China,” he said.Rajnath said that while the creation of any nation’s defence industrial ecosystem relies on contributions of large industries, MSMEs, startups and innovators, it is equally driven by a clear policy push from the govt, tailored to meet the country’s specific defence requirements. While he called for active contribution from the private sector, he extended the govt’s full support to transform India into a global hub for indigenous drone manufacturing.The minister described iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) and ADITI (Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX) as game-changer initiatives, through which start-ups, innovators, and MSMEs are provided with the opportunity to develop novel solutions to meet the specific requirements of the defence forces.He said that “as of Feb 2026, 676 startups, MSMEs and individual innovators have joined the defence innovation ecosystem since inception of iDEX in 2018. In total, 548 contracts have been signed; and 566 challenges launched”. Of these, 58 prototypes have received clearance for procurement, valued around Rs 3,853 crore, he said.“Further, 45 procurement contracts have already been signed, worth nearly Rs 2,326 crore. These figures demonstrate that innovation is gradually materialising into tangible products and technologies, and the role played by our startups and MSMEs in this transformation is steadily gaining strength,” Rajnath said.
